Red Bull Motorsports
F1
F1 vs WEC: The big differences Max Verstappen will face in endurance racing
Max Verstappen is off to the Nürburgring in May to compete in the 24-hour endurance race. Learn exactly what he’ll be facing in endurance racing and how it differs to what he’s used to in Formula One.
Max Verstappen is taking part in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring in May. As an endurance race, it is dramatically different to what he’s used to in Formula One, with lots of new things to think about.
01
Why Verstappen wants to compete in the Nürburgring 24-hour race
Verstappen will face some unique challenges in the endurance race
© Gruppe C GmbH/Red Bull Content Pool
Expanding his racing scope while continuing his focus on F1, Verstappen has been taking part in other disciplines in the last couple of years. However, competing in an endurance race is something new for the 28-year-old. At the time of the announcement of his participation, he said, “The Nürburgring Nordschleife is a special place. There's no other track like it. The 24-hours of Nürburgring is a race that's been on my bucket list for a long time, so I'm really thrilled we can make it happen now."
He’s been taking part in other races with his GT team, but this is the first time he’ll be involved with an endurance race. He’s well aware that preparation will be important and that it’ll be a vastly different experience to F1. “Last year, I was able to get my DMSB Permit Nordschleife and participate in NLS9, that we won. That preparation is very valuable, as we have learned a lot that we can take into our programme this year with NLS2 and the 24-hour race,” he said.
02
The key differences between F1 and endurance racing
He'll need to get used to sharing his car
© Gruppe C GmbH/Red Bull Content Pool
The first difference the Dutchman will notice is the car he’s driving. He’ll be getting behind the wheel of a Mercedes AMG GT. It’s a GT version of a road-going car, which will be set up for racing with different seats, roll cages, and special tyres. While the car will have Red Bull liveries, he’ll be driving a Mercedes, which will be a departure for him.
While it’ll still be fast, the car won’t be quite as powerful as the Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 car he’s used to. He’ll be sitting higher up off the floor, giving him a new perspective of the road ahead.
Verstappen will also need to get used to sharing the car and utilising a set-up that’s comfortable for every member of his team. Each team competing in the 24-hour race will have three or four drivers, who take turns driving throughout the race. The team won’t be able to set the car up for the Dutchman specifically, as the team does in Formula One, as that may make it difficult for everyone else. The drivers will need to reach a happy medium that allows them to jump in and out of the car at pit stops without spending too much time changing the setup of the car.
That’s because rather than being first to the finish line, the winner in endurance racing is the team that completes the most laps in the 24-hours. You need to be quick, but consistent. Most teams have target lap times during stints, to allow them to keep advantages or close gaps to cars in front.
03
The demands of endurance racing
There's intense interest in Verstappen's 24-hour debut
© Gruppe C GmbH/Red Bull Content Pool
The Nürburgring track, in the Eifel mountains in Germany, is a 25.3km circuit. That is significantly longer than all Formula One venues, so teams will complete fewer laps per hour than Verstappen is used to.
The demands of endurance racing are different, too, and they change throughout the 24 hours of the race. Of course, the race includes nighttime driving. That will lead to drivers being tired and visibility being worse on track.
Each driver can drive for a maximum of three hours consecutively, and they must rest for at least two hours between stints. The faster drivers will usually drive for longer overall than others, but the responsibility has to be shared between the team.
04
How tactics are different
The tactical side of endurance racing is different to how it works in F1, too. Multiple classes of car race at the same time, which means some cars will be significantly faster than others. The SP9 class is the fastest, and the second fastest is known as SP10, but there will also be various commercially-sold vehicles competing as well.
Therefore, survival is the aim of the game, more so than pure speed. Considering the race is taking place over 24 hours, teams need to keep the car going for as many minutes of that time as possible. Getting entangled in battles with other cars could end in disaster. Verstappen will need to navigate traffic carefully - thankfully, most slower cars will get out of the way with little fuss.
05
The smaller differences you may not notice
Verstappen has been honing his skills at shorter GT3 races
© Gruppe C GmbH/Red Bull Content Pool
There are also lots of other smaller differences that viewers and Verstappen will have to get used to. First of all, the starting procedure is remarkably different. The race begins with a "rolling start" in three separate groups. That allows the organisers to manage the field of cars, ensuring there’s not too much chaos in the early laps.
There are also various tyres from different suppliers that teams can use throughout the race. As Verstappen is used to, he’ll still have to manage his tyres to get the best out of them, but he’ll be able to change them as he likes and use compounds that make the most sense for the situation his team is in at the time. After all, the weather at the Nürburgring can be very unpredictable. Drivers never know when the heavens might open, and teams will be scrambling for wet tyres.
It’ll certainly be a very different experience for the Formula One veteran. While he’ll be used to his Mercedes car by the time the event rolls around, the intricacies of endurance racing will be new to him. How will nighttime driving affect him, and how fast will he be when he’s simply trying to complete the most laps? He’ll get his first taste when the Nürburgring 24-hour race takes place from May 14-17.
